Smoke-filtering device



6, 1968 R. G. WHITE ETAL 3,367,343

SMOKE-FILTERING DEVICE Filed Oct. 11, 1965 Fig.1.

Rebel"? (iWhhe I Ross W61 f ford INVENTORS Hffys.

United States Patent 3,367,343 SMOKE-FILTERING DEVICE Robert G. White and Ross W. Gifford, Portland, Oreg.,

assignors to Scott F. Reekie, Joseph T. Chiodo, and Robert G. White, all of Portland, Oreg.

Filed Oct. 11, 1965, Ser. No. 494,390 5 Claims. (Cl. 131-187) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cigarette holder comprising a mouthpiece element and a cylindrical, flanged, metallic sleeve mounted about said element and projecting axially out from one end thereof. The element includes an open mouthed cup including a cylindrical wall, a base and a flange bounding said wall where the mouth of the cup is located, and the sleeve fits snugly about the flange to be positioned by the flange element. One end of the sleeve projects toward the lightable end of a cigarette inserted into the holder, to encircle the downstream end of such cigarette when such is in place. Radially extending constricted bores are provided in the wall of the cup, which smokes flows through to impinge against the inside of the sleeve.

This invention relates to smoking structures, and more particularly to a cigarette assembly with improved means for removing tars and other harmful substances in the smoke thereof.

Recent studies have suggested that cigarette smoking if done excessively may be injurious to ones health,

due to the presence of certain materials such as tars and resins carried in the smoke of the cigarette. With the removal of such tars and resins, or substantial reduction in their concentration, the harmful effects of smoking may be minimized. The means employed for re moving such substances should be simple and practical if they are to receive any degree of acceptance by the public.

Cigarette holders have been proposed that include some type of filtering construction for filtering smoke. Considerations that enter into the design of a practical holder are that it be readily cleanable, that the filtering construction within the holder be relatively compact in size so that use of the holder does not materially increase the overall length of a cigarette assembly, and that the holder be relatively simple and economically manufactured in order that the cost of the holder be maintained within a range considered acceptable by the buying public. Further, the holder should not affect the draw required to pull smoke from the cigarette through the holder into the mouth.

A general object of this invention is the provision in a cigarette assembly of novel means for removing tars, resins and other substances in smoke, utilizing both principles of impingement and of condensation effectively combined for the most eflicient removal of the substances.

More specifically, an object of the invention is the provision of means for removing such substances from smoke, featuring a radially extending constricted bore for accelerating the velocity of smoke, and a heat conductive cylindrical surface maintained at relatively low temperature against which smoke impinges on passing through such bore, to produce separation of tars, etc. both through condensation of these materials on said wall and through an impingement action resulting when smoke moves at high velocity against said wall.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, multiple bores of small diameter are provided which extend radi- 3,367,343 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 ally through the cylindrical wall of a cup forming part of a smoke flow impeding member in the organization. With such multiple bores, and a distribution whereby they are equally circumferentially spaced about the cylindrical wall of the cup, no matter which side of a cigarette is held up while smoking, at least one bore extends upwardly, or at least horizontally through the wall of the cup, assuring a free passage for smoke therethrough. Further, with multiple bores provided, the chances of having the structure completely clogged by pieces of tobacco are sharply reduced. The number of bores provided is such that proper draw results, coupled with proper acceleration of smoke on such flowing through the bores whereby the impingement action noted is produced.

A related feature of the invention is the provision of means for removing tars and other substances from smoke, including an impingement barrier that surrounds radially extending constricted bores for accelerating smoke flow, which barrier is so shaped and positioned as to be easily cleaned by washing.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention a holder is contemplated including a heat conductive metallic sleeve, the inner surface of which constitutes an impingement barrier for smoke passed thereagainst at high velocity. The conductive sleeve has flanges on the outside thereof increasing the surface area about the outside of the sleeve and the ability of the sleeve to dissipate heat.

Various other objects and advantages are attained by the invention, and the same is described hereinbelow in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a cigarette assembly comprising a holder and a cigarette mounted in the holder according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2. is a view, somewhat enlarged and partly in section, illustrating portions of the interior of the holder shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the lines 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a mouthpiece element, and a conductive sleeve, respectively, which make up the cigarette holder.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGS. 1 and 2 there is illustrated a cigarette or cigarette unit assembly comprising a cigarette 10 including an elongated substantially cylindrical supply of tobacco 11 wrapped in a cigarette paper 12. End 10:: of the cigarette is seated within one end of a sleeve 14 forming part of a cigarette holder generally designated at 16. This end 10a is referred to herein as the downstream end of the cigarette, and the cigarettes opposite end, end 1%, is referred to herein as a lighted or lightable end.

Holder 16 in addition to sleeve 14 already discussed further comprises a mouthpiece element 18. The mouthpiece element and the sleeve are separable from each other, as illustrated by FIGS. 4 and 5 which show the parts individually, to accommodate cleaning of the two parts.

Considering in detail the construction of mouthpiece element 18, at one end of the element is a smoke flow impeding portion 22. This portion takes the form of a cup including a cylindrical wall 24 defining an open mouth which faces the downstream end of cigarette 10. Closing off the base of the cup is a base or base web 28. With the sleeve about the mouthpiece element, and the cigarette in place in the holder, a flange 30 which extends about the outside of the wall of the cup and is joined to such wall where the mouth of the cup is defined forms a rest or stop against which is abutted the extremity of the cigarette. One end of the sleeve projects from the flange toward the lightable end of the cigarette, and this end encircles the downstream end of the cigarette with thecigarette in place in the holder.

The outer circumferential surface of cylindrical wall 24 is spaced somewhat inwardly from the inner circumferential surface of sleeve 14 thus to leave an annular space 25 extending about the cup within the sleeve. Flange 30 functions to center the sleeve about the wall 24 with this spacing maintained. The spacing in the usual instance is at least about 0.02 inch and does not exceed about 0.10 inch. The annular space provides a passage for smoke enabling smoke to travel within the holder away from the vicinity of the cup, and also provides a space for the collection of tars and other substances collected by operation of the holder.

Extending radially through cylindrical wall 24, located toward the base of the cup from flange 30, and distributed equally circumferentially about the axis of the cylindrical wall, are multiple bores such as the two bores indicated at 32 and 34. These bores have a relatively small diameter, and function as constrictions accelerating the velocity of smoke as the same travels from the interior of the cup to the outside thereof. It has been found that the diameters of the bores preferably should be such that the sum of the cross-sectional areas of both the bores lies within the range of about 0.0004 to 0.0012 square inch. With bores of equal diameter, as preferred, it follows that the cross-sectional area of each bore where two are provided should lie within the range 0.0002 to 0.0006 square inch. With bores of this size no noticeable effect in the ease of draw is produced, which can be bothersome to a smoker. At the same time the velocity of smoke is suitably accelerated as the same passes radially outwardly from the inside of the cup portion.

The spacing of the inside of the sleeve from the outer ends of the radial bores being less than 0.01 inch, smoke on leaving the bores travels at a relatively high velocity against the inside of the sleeve, to produce an impingement action causing the deposit of tars and resins on the inside of the sleeve. According to this invention, and supplementing this impingement action, is a condensation action whereby resins and tars tend to condense on the inside of the sleeve. This condensation is promoted through making the sleeve of a heat conductive material such as metal, and designing the holder so that the sleeve around the outside thereof is exposed to the circulating air of the atmosphere. In this way the sleeve tends to remain at close to room temperature.

It will be noted that the exterior of the sleeve contains ribbed flanges, shown at 36. The increase in surface area around the outside of the sleeve, resulting from the inclusion of the flanges, further promotes dissipation of heat and cooling of the smoke as the same impinges on the sleeve and thence travels along the interior of the sleeve to the rear of the holder.

Further describing the mouthpiece element, cup portion 22 is joined to one end of a spindle portion 38, and the latter is joined at its opposite end to a hollow stem 40 which is the portion of the mouthpiece element adapted to be received in a smokers mouth. A passage 42 extends along the interior of the stern permitting smoke to flow as shown in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 2. Spindle 38 is hollow in region 44 and ports such as the one shown at 46 are provided in the wall of the spindle adjacent region 44 to provide a path for smoke from the interior of the sleeve into passage 42 of the stem.

If desired, the spindle may have a flange 48 formed about the outside thereof which flange provides a circuitous route for smoke as the same travels along the interior of the sleeve into the stem. The flange also inhibits tars and resins collecting in the space around spindle 38 from moving into ports 46 so as possibly to clog these ports, or to travel through these ports into stem 40. During this travel continued cooling of the smoke takes place, with the depositing of resins and tars on the surfaces which are exposed to smoke.

It will be noted that by providing multiple bores as smoke flow accelerating constrictions, a passage for the flow of smoke from outof the interior of the cup portion is always assured. No matter which side of the cigarette is held upwardly during smoking, at least one port has an outlet from which resin material tends to drain. As can be seen in FIG. 3, when one bore projects downwardly the other one has its outlet end disposed upwardiy in a region where drainage from this end tends to take place. With multiple bores, should one become clogged a passage is still afforded for the flow of smoke. With the radial disposition of the bores, and with impingement and condensation of tars and resins on the inner surface of the metallic conductive sleeve, an organization results which is far more easily cleaned than prior-known types of structures. Thus, if the sleeve is removed from the mouthpiece element, the entire inner surface thereof which is smooth may be easily cleaned with a brush, or washed, there being no crevices where material may collect. The act of separating the mouthpiece element and sleeve produces cleaning of the sleeve, since the circumferential margin of flange 30 fits snugly inside the sleeve, and on withdrawing the mouthpiece element the edge functions as a squeegee scraping the inside of the sleeve clean. In the event that material collects on the mouthpiece element, this too is easily cleaned by merely wiping off the element. Should any of the bores become clogged, such is readily taken care of by passing a fine wire through them, there being clearance adjacent to both ends of each port.

With flange 30 fitting snugly within the sleeve, it follows that all smoke flow is into the cup and thence out bores 32, 34 into annular space 25, rather than about the outside of the flange to annular space 25, the flange thus functioning as a seal in the organization. In addition, the flange where it abuts the sleeve constitutes a heat conductor conducting heat generated in the cup to the sleeve.

Generally describing how the holder operates, when the cigaretteis inserted within the sleeve and against the edge which bounds the mouth, on the smoker drawing smoke from the lighted end, smoke travels into the cup portion and then through the bores. On traveling through the bores the velocity of the smoke is accelerated, and the smoke impinges on the inside of the sleeve. The smoke then travels down in a circuitous path finally to reach passage 42 in stem 40. It has been noted that with the holder contemplated, with the smoking of one cigarette, a considerable amount of material may be collected which otherwise would be carried by the smoke to the smoker.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been described, it is appreciated that variations and modifications are possible without departing from the invention. It is desired to cover all such modifications and variations as would be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that comes within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A cigarette assembly comprising an elongated, substantially cylindrical cigarette unit having lightable and downstream ends,

a smoke flow impeding portion mounted in the assemably downstream from the downstream end of said cigarette unit, said portion including an open mouthed cup adapted to receive smoke emanating from the cigarette unit including a cylindrical wall, a base at one end of the cup, and at the opposite end of the cup an open mouth, said cylindrical wall being surrounded by an annular flange joined to the wall where the mouth of the cup is defined, said flange abutting the downstream end of the cigarette unit.

a constricted bore in the cylindrical wall of said cup located toward the base of the cup from said flange and extending in a radial direction through the wall, through which smoke floWs to the outside of the cup, with the velocity thereof accelerated while passing through said bore,

a hollow cylindrical sleeve coaxial with the cup mounta mouthpiece portion mounted downstream from said cup receiving smoke collected in said sleeve.

A cigarette assembly comprising an elongated, substantially cylindrical cigarette unit having lightable and downstream ends,

smoke flow impeding portion mounted in the assembly downstream from the downstream end of the cigarette unit, said portion including an open mouth cup adapted to receive smoke emanating from the cigarette unit including a cylindrical wall, a base at one end of the cup and at the opposite end of the cup an open mouth, said cylindrical wall being surrounded by an annular flange joined to the wall where the mouth of the cup is defined, said flange abutting the downstream end of the cigarette unit,

multiple constricted bores equally circumferentially spaced about the axis of the cup and extending radially through the cylindrical wall of the cup through which bores the smoke flows to the outside of the cup with the velocity thereof accelerated while passing through said bores, said bores being located toward the base of the cup from said flange, hollow cylindrical sleeve coaxial with the cup having an inner surface surrounding and spaced radially outwardly of but not more than about 0.10 inch from the outer surface of the cylindrical wall and the outer end of said bores, which surface smoke impinges upon, on the smake traveling through the bores, said sleeve fitting snugly about said flange thus to be positioned by said flange in the assembly and including an end portion projecting toward the lightable end of the cigarette unit from said flange which encircles the downstream end of the cigarette unit, and

mouthpiece portion mounted downstream from the cup receiving smoke collecting in said cylindrical sleeve.

3. The cigarette assembly of claim 1, wherein said cylindrical sleeve comprises a metallic cylinder with a flanged outer periphery.

4. The cigarette assembly of claim 3, wherein multiple constricted bores are provided in the cylindrical wall of said cup, all of which extend radially through said wall, which bores are equally circumferentially distributed about the axis of the cup.

5. A cigarette holder comprising a smoke flow impeding member adapted to have mounted thereagaiust the downstream end of a cigarette, said member including an open mouth cup adapted to receive smoke emanating from the cigarette including a cylindrical wall, a base at one end of the cup, and at the opposite end of the cup an open mouth, said cylindrical wall being surrounded by an annular flange joined to the wall where the mouth of the cup is defined, said flange being adapted to abut against the downstream end of the cigarette,

the cylindrical wall of said cup having multiple radially extending constricted bores located toward the base of the cup from said flange through which smoke flows to the outside of the cup with the velocity thereof accelerated while passing through said bores,

a hollow cylindrical heat conductive sleeve coaxial with said cup having an inner heat conductive surface surrounding and spaced radially outwardly of but not more than about 0.10 inch from the outer surface of said cylindrical wall and the outer ends of said bores, which surface smoke impinges upon, on the smoke traveling through said bores, said conductive sleeve having a flanged outer periphery, said sleeve fitting snugly about said annular flange thus to be positioned by said annular flange in the holder and including an end portion projecting from said annular flange toward the lightable end of a cigarette placed within the holder which encircles the downstream end of such a cigarette, and

a mouthpiece portion mounted downstream of the cup for receiving smoke collected in said cylindrical sleeve.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,319,622 10/1919 Salmon et al. 131-182 1,469,277 10/1923 Sitter 131-487 X 1,662,762 3/1928 Tate 131-210 X 2,285,057 6/1942 Russell 131194 2,397,294 3/ 1946 Schultz. 2,954,772 10/1960 Lebert 131-201 X FOREIGN PATENTS 664,420 6/1928 France.

985,071 3/ 1965 Great Britain.

135,817 10/ 1929 Switzerland.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH S. REICH, Examiner. 

